Purpose:A diagnostic tools used by evaluators to determine whether
a student has learning disabilities. It is important that both the
cognitive and achievement portions of the Woodcock-Johnson test be
administered. Often only the achievement portion is given which points out
the student's academic weaknesses. The cognitive test needs to be given to
provide a more complete picture of the student's academic functioning and
strengths. The combination of both the cognitive and achievement test results
gives valuable information concerning the strengths and weaknesses of the
student, the student's learning style, the possible presence of visual
perceptual difficulties, and the student's aptitude in academic areas. A
student with learning disabilities often scores high in oral language and verbal
ability. ( From The Woodcock-Johnson Test: Maximizing Benefits for
Students with Learning Disabilities , by Larry Falxa. Note: The WISC
can be used for the cognitive test instead of the WJ cognitive
section.)

The WJ is divided into two sections, Cognitive and
Achievement:

The WJ-R Cognitive part has 7 subtest and the supplement
battery of the cognitive test are made up of 14 subtest (total 21). The
achievement battery 9 subtest and the supplement battery of the achievement
battery test are made up of 5 subtest (total 14 subtest). Giving us a
total of 35 subtests in all.

The WJ-III Has 42 subtests, the
Cognitive part has 20 subtests. The achievement battery 22 subtest.

Educators have often reported that when they give WJ to
prove what they all ready know, and have found that test does not show the
student areas of weakness. It is important to have your child tested in
each area of weakness. Using standardize tests in their area of weakness
(i.e. reading test, spelling, math test).Publisher: Riverside Publishing
Company website

The Wechsler
Individual Achievement Test - Second Edition (WIAT-II), published in 2001,
revises the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT), published in 1992, by
The Psychological Corporation. WIAT-III, published in 2009 the
lastest verison.

9 Subtests WIAT-II Descriptions:

Word reading -
naming letters, phonological skills (working with sounds in words), and
reading words aloud from lists. Only the accuracy of the pronunciation
(not comprehension) is scored.

Reading Comprehension - comprehension of detail,
sequence, cause-and-effect relationships, and inference in very short paragraph. (Students can look back at the
paragraph and find the find the answers.)

Spelling - encoding and spelling ability

Written Expression - Free writing task. It
assessment of idea development and organization as well as capitalization and
punctuation.

1.
Listening Comprehension - The student listens to vocabulary words and points
to a picture that illustrates each word, and then listens to passages and
answers questions about each one.2. Oral
Expression - The student is shown pictures and is asked to name the
concept shown in each picture. Then the student says words from a given
category and repeats sentences.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3. Early Reading Skills - Require the student
to: Identify letters and letter sounds, Identify and produce rhyming words
Segment words – identifying beginning and ending sounds Blend sounds Identify
consonant blends, Do a small amount of basic sight word recognition.4. Word Reading - The student reads
aloud a list of increasingly difficult words.5. Pseudoword Decoding - The student reads
aloud a list of increasingly difficult nonsense words.6. Oral Reading Fluency The student reads
passages aloud, and then orally responds to comprehension questions.7. Reading Comprehension - The student reads
passages aloud or silently under un-timed conditions, and then answers
open-ended questions about each one.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8. Alphabet Writing Fluency - Student
writes down letters of the alphabet as fast as he or she can.9. Spelling - The student writes single words
that are dictated within the context of a sentence.10. Sentence Composition - The student combines the
information from two or three sentences into single sentences that mean the
same thing, and then the student writes meaningful sentences that use specific
words.11. Essay Composition - The student writes an
essay within a 10-minute time limit.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12. Math Problem Solving Depending upon the grade and
ability level of the student, the student solves un-timed math problems
related to basic skills (counting, identifying shapes, etc.), everyday
applications (time, money, word problems, etc.), geometry, and algebra.13. Numerical Operations Depending upon the grade and
ability level of the student, the student solves un-timed written math
problems in the following domains: basic skills, basic operations with
integers, geometry, algebra, and calculus.14. Math
Fluency- Addition The student solves written addition problems within a
60-second time limit.15. Math Fluency-Subtraction The
student solves written subtraction problems within a 60-second time limit.16. Math Fluency-Multiplication The student solves
written multiplication problems within a 60-second time limit.

Test of Early Reading Ability (TERA)Measures of the
reading ability of young children age 3 years, 6 months - 8 years, 6 months
(does not test the child's readiness for reading). Assess their mastery
of early developing reading skills. Three subtests: Alphabet - Knowledge
of alphabet and uses, Conventions - Book orientation and format, and Meaning -
Construction of meaning from print. Testing time 30 minutes. (Recommend
to also test the child Phonological
Awareness).
Publisher:Stoelting

Phonological Awareness

Comprehensive
Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP)

Test measure:Measures student's awareness of
the individual sounds in words.

(1) to identify
individuals who are significantly below their peers in important phonological
abilities, (2) to determine strengths and weaknesses among developed
phonological processes, (3) to document an individual's progress in phonological
processing as a consequence of special intervention programs, and (4) to serve
as a measurement device in research studies investigating phonological
processing.

Ages: kindergarten through college

The assessment has two versions:

The first version, developed for individuals ages 5
and 6 (primarily kindergartens and first graders)

The second version, for individuals ages 7 through 24
(persons in second grade through college)

Administration time:30 minutes

Score:Percentiles, standard scores, and age and grade equivalents
are provided. Subtest standard scores (SS) have a mean of 10 and a
standard deviation of 3. The Phonological Awareness, Phonological Memory, and
Rapid Naming quotients have a mean of 100 and a standard deviation (SD) of 15.
Age and grade equivalents show the relative standing of individuals’
scores.

Subtests: There are two version of the test. The first
version, developed for children ages 5 and 6, contains seven core subtests and
one supplemental test. The Subtests: Elision (substation and deletion),
Rapid Color Naming, Rapid Object Naming, Blending Words, Sound Matching,
Non-word Repetition and Memory for Digits.

Test measure:Measures young children's awareness of the individual
sounds in words.

Purpose:TOPA-2 measures the
educational achievement of the children and adolescents. Children who are sensitive to the phonological structure of
words in oral language have a much easier time learning to read than childlatest
are not. The TOPA can be used to identify children in kindergarten who may
profit from instructionalversionties to enhance their phonological awareness in
preparation for reading instruction.

Ages: The Early Elementary version of the TOPA can be used to
determine if first and second-grade students’ difficulties in early reading are
associated with delays in development of phonological awareness. The TOPA is provided in a Kindergarten version suitable for
administration any time during the kindergarten year. The Early Elementary
version suitable for first and second-grade children.

Administration time:Both versions can be administered either individually or to
groups of children, with group administration taking about 20
minutes.

The TOPA is a
nationally normed, standardized, 20-item test that measures awareness of the
individual sounds within words. Specifically, children are asked to identify
the ending sounds in words. Publisher: Linguisystems, 2004

Test measure:Measures young children's awareness of the individual
sounds in words.Purpose:Same as TOPA, children who are sensitive to the
phonological structure of words in oral language have a much easier time
learning to read than children who are not. The TPAT can be used to identify children in kindergarten who may
profit from instructional activities to enhance their phonological awareness in
preparation for reading instruction.

Test measure:The LAC helps determine which students will be at risk in
reading and spelling. It measures the ability to (1) discriminate
one speech sound or phoneme from another and (2) segment a spoken word into
its constituent phonemic units.

Purpose:Because of the importance of these
auditory skills to reading, the results are helpful for speech-language
pathologists, special educators, and reading specialists.

The student must understand the
concepts of sameness and difference, be able to number 1- 4, and be familiar
with left-to-right progression.

Ages: It may be administered at
any age level.

Administration time:Testing time is about 10
minutes.

Score:Criterion-referenced measure, easy to administer, and
helpful in identifying younger student may be at risk for reading problems. Area
of need of older students.

The newer version,
the LAC-3, is standardized, and it will provide percentiles, and standard
scores.

The table below shows the recommended minimum scores for high probability of grade-level or above-grade-level spelling and reading performance, on earlier versions of LAC:

End of the 1st half of the grade

End of the 2nd half of grade

Kindergarten

31

Kindergarten

40

1st grade

41

1st grade

61

2nd grade

61

2nd grade

71

3rd grade

71

3rd grade

81

4th grade

81

4th grade

86

5th grade

86

5th grade

93

6th grade

93

6th grade

99

7th grade

99+

7th grade

99+

Possible score of 100, half way through 6th grade the
student should be scoring 99-100.

The use of phonetic nonsense words and syllables
allows us to examine decoding in relative isolation form sight-words and
vocabulary abilities.The Word Identification subtest
assess the students "word recognition" skill (the ability to read isolated
real words).Publisher:
Pearson
Assessments

Word Identification and Spelling Test (WIST)

Identifies students
who are struggling with reading and spelling. Wilson publishes a
norm-referenced called the WIST (Word Identification and Spelling
Test).

Created by by
Barbara A. Wilson, Rebecca H. Felton.

Test measures:
Reading decoding (phonetic and irregular), sound-symbol knowledge and
spelling. Each can be used independently. This assessment can be
used three times per year to measure student reading decoding and spelling
progress.

Ages: 7 to 18 years
11 months, Includes an elementary version (Grades 2-5) and a secondary
version (Grades 6-12). Administration time: 40 minutes

Test purpose:
Assesses students who have difficulty reading continuous print and who requires
an evaluation of specific abilities and weakness.

Three subtests, two
“core” subtests (Word Identification and Spelling) and one "supplemental"
subtest (Sound-Symbol Knowledge).

Word
Identification: Measures word reading accuracy, including sight recognition of
familiar words and sight recognition or orthographic memory of high frequency
words with one or more irregularities.

Spelling:
Assesses the ability to spell words correctly from dictation, including (a) recall of correct letter sequences for familiar words
and the ability to apply sound/symbol relationships to spell words that are
unfamiliar and (b) recall of letter order of high frequency words with one ore
more irregularities.

Test
of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE)Measures of word reading, accuracy and
fluency. It is used to monitor the growth of two kinds of word reading
skills that are critical in the development of overall reading
ability.

Recognizing familiar words as whole units or sight words,
and the ability to Sound out words quickly.

The TOWRE contains
two subtests: the Sight Word Efficiency (SWE) subtest assesses the number of
real printed words that can be accurately identified within 45 seconds,
andthe Phonetic
Decoding Efficiency (PDE) subtest measures the number of pronounceable printed
non-words that can be accurately decoded within 45 seconds.Each subtest has two forms (Forms A and B) that are of
equivalent difficulty, and either one or both forms of each subtest may be
given depending upon the purposes of the assessment. Scores are
provided in percentiles, standard scores, and age and grade equivalents
are provided. (1999)

Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills
(DIBELS) A set
of standardized, individually administered measures of early literacy
development.

For
Students in K - 3th grade and 4th - 6th grade to measure reading fluency and
comprehension. This test can be used for benchmark assessments in the
fall, winter, and spring assessments to monitor progress (more frequent
assessment of lower-achieving students).

This test was developed upon the essential early literacy
domains discussed in both the National Reading Panel (2000) and National
Research Council (1998) reports to assess student development of phonological
awareness, alphabetic understanding, and automaticity and fluency with the
code. Each measure has been thoroughly researched and demonstrated to be
reliable and valid indicators of early literacy development and predictive of
later reading proficiency to aid in the early identification of students who are
not progressing as expected. When used as recommended, the results can be used
to evaluate individual student development as well as provide grade-level
feedback toward validated instructional objectives. Publisher:University of
Oregon

The
Gray Oral Reading, Third Edition (GORT­-3)Is
a popular reading test created by William S. Gray. This version provides an
objective measure of growth in oral reading and an aid in the diagnosis of
oral reading difficulties. The GORT­-3 comprises two alternate, equivalent
forms, each of which contains 13 developmentally sequenced passages with five
comprehension questions. The GORT­3 provides examiners with a
Passage Score that is derived by examining the reader's performance in rate
(time taken to read each passage) and deviations from print (errors). The
Passage Score is reported in terms of standard scores, percentile ranks,
and grade equivalents. Also provided are standard scores, percentiles, and
grade equivalents for Oral Reading Comprehension. Unlike the earlier versions,
the GORT­3 adds normative scores for rate and accuracy . A total
score for Oral Reading is also provided. For ages: 7.0 through 18.11, testing
time: 15-­30 minutes, administrated individually. (1992)For the newer version GORT- 4 see below.- Go to top of page (index) -

Test purpose:Assesses students who have difficulty reading continuous
print and who requires an evaluation of specific abilities and weakness.

Score:
All
four scores are reported in terms of standard scores, percentile ranks, grade
equivalents, and age equivalents.

This is the newest version of this test.
Some educators find student to score higher on this version of the
test.It provides an efficient and objective
measure of growth in oral reading and an aid in the diagnosis of oral
reading difficulties. The test consists of two parallel forms, each containing
14 developmentally sequenced reading passages with five comprehension
questions and can be given to students . The GORT has 4 scores:

Reading
Fluency, Rate, Accuracy and Oral Reading
Comprehension. The Fluency Score that is
derived by combining the reader's performance in Rate (time in seconds
taken to read each passage) and Accuracy (number of deviations from print
made in each passage). The number of correct responses made to the
comprehension questions provides examiners with an Oral
Reading Comprehension Score. The Fluency Score and the Oral
Reading Comprehension Score are combined to obtain an Oral Reading
Quotient.The test -retest study
was conducted with all ages for which the test can be administered and
illustrates the stability and reliability of the measure. The validity is
extensive and includes studies that illustrate that the GORT­4 can be
used with confidence to measure change in oral reading over time. The
GORT-4 has many improvements. Finally, several new validity studies have
been conducted, including an examination of the relationship of the
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children , Third Edition (WISC­III)
to the GORT­4. You can use the GORT­4 in a variety of settings,
such as elementary and secondary schools, clinics, and reading centers.
The two forms of the test allow you to study an individual's oral reading
progress over time. Publisher:
Pro-Ed and Pearson(2001)

Test purpose:Assesses students who have difficulty reading continuous
print and who requires an evaluation of specific abilities and weakness.

Score: Two parallel forms

The GDRT-2, a revision of the Gray Oral Reading
Tests-Diagnostic (GORT-D),(There are also the Gray
Oral Reading Tests-Fourth Edition (GORT-4) and the Gray Silent Reading
Tests (GSRT), form the Gray reading test battery.)

Test of
Language Development - IntermediateFocus on middle school language An individually administered language battery. Ages: 8-0 through 12-11Administration Time: 30 minutes to 1 hourThe TOLD-I, third edition assesses the understanding and
meaningful use of spoken words, as well as different aspects of grammar. This
third edition features five subtests.

Test silent reading
comprehension that can be used to (a) identify children and adolescents who
score significantly below their peers and who therefore might need help in
improving their reading proficiency and comprehension, (b) document student
progress in remedial programs, and (c) serve as a research tool in studies
investigating reading problems in children and adolescents.

These are the five
subtests, all of which measure word identification and contextual meaning.
Studies in the TORC-4 manual indicate that the test has high reliability and
strong validity, especially criterion-prediction
validity.

Relational Vocabulary – From the Student Question
Booklet, the student reads a set of three words that are in some way related to
each other. The student is to then silently read another four words and choose
two words that are related to the first set of three words.

Sentence Completion – From the Student Question
Booklet, the student silently reads a sentence that is missing two words. The
student then silently reads a list of word pairs and chooses the word pair that
best completes the sentence.

Paragraph Construction – After silently reading a list
of sentences that are not in logical order, the student must then rearrange the
sentences to form a coherent paragraph.

Text Comprehension – Students silently read a short
passage and then answer five multiple-choice questions relative to the passage.

Contextual Fluency – This subtest measures how many
individual words students can recognize, in 3 minutes, in a series of passages
taken from the Text Comprehension Subtest. Each passage, printed in uppercase
letters without punctuation or spaces between words, becomes progressively more
difficult in content, vocabulary, and grammar. This is a format pioneered by
J.P. Guilford to represent reading in his Structure of Intellect model. As
students read the segments, they draw a line between as many words as they can
in the time allotted. (E.g., THE|LITTLE|DOG|JUMPED|HIGH)

The Pre-reading level
contains 4 subtests: 1) literacy concepts, 2). oral language concepts and 3).
letter-sound correspondence and 4). story listening comprehension.Students are not required to read at this
level, as they choose answers from pictures or symbols.Pictures are always identified by the
teacher.

The Beginning reading
level contains 3 subtests 1). initial consonants and consonant clusters,
2). use of final consonants and consonant clusters, use of vowels, and 3). Basic
story words,evaluates students'
abilities to identify words most commonly used in written text that typically
are learned without decoding.At this
level children are asked to choose pictures with names that begin or end with
certain letters, to read words, and to read simple sentences.The teacher reads most of the questions to
the children, who then choose answers from pictures or
words.

Levels 1 through 12 were designed to provide a
general assessment of reading achievement. At these levels the 4 subtests: 1). Word Decoding, 2). Word
Knowledge, and 3). Comprehension. Both Level 1 and Level
2 contain a Word Decoding test, which evaluates students' abilities to decode or
recognize words and a Comprehension test, which evaluates students' abilities to
understand extended written text. Level 2 also contains a Word Knowledge
test, which evaluates beginning reading vocabulary. For Word Decoding,
incorrect answer choices are based on common decoding errors; for Word
Knowledge, on errors of meaning.

4). Vocabulary subtests at levels 1 and 2 are
primarily a test of decoding skills.

At levels 3 through 12 the vocabulary subtest is a measure
of Word Knowledge.Students are asked to
select a word or phrase that means most nearly the same as a test
word. Students need to either recognize or
sound out words that correspond to pictures.At levels 1 and 2 comprehension of "passages"(sic) ranging form one
sentence to five sentences is measured by asking children to choose the picture
that illustrates the "passage" or answers a question about the "passage." At
levels 3-12 students respond to questions in a multiple-choice
format. - Go to top of page (index) -

Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE)

Author:
Kathleen T. WilliamsDate Published: 2001

For Pre-Kindergarten through Adult (post
secondary):

Level P
for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten;Level K for
kindergarten and first grade;Level 1 for kindergarten,
first, and second grade;Levels 2-6 for upper elementary
school;Level M for middle school grades 5 through 9;Level H for high school, andLevel
A for upper high school and post secondary students.

Passage Comprehension -- Student reads a passage of text
and responds to multiple-choice comprehension questions (both explicit and
implicit). This subtest is for each grade level, up to adult
level.

This is a link to the GRADE (119 pages) marketing brochure,
with samples of the different test sections:

The Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation
(GRADE) is not timed.The administration time for the
whole test is 45 - 90 mins. If the student takes extra time on the
Comprehension section it should be noted by the examiner.

This test can be given 4 times a year. That there 2 forms
A and B, used by alternating them.

Gray Silent Reading Test (GSRT)Measures an individual's silent reading comprehension
ability ages 7 - 25. This test consists
of two parallel forms each containing 13 developmentally sequenced
reading passages with five multiple-choice questions. The two forms of the
test allow you to study an individual's reading progress over time.
It can be given individually or to groups. Each form, of the test
yields raw scores, grade equivalents, age equivalents, percentiles, and a
Silent Reading Quotient. Publisher: Pro-Ed

Diagnostic Assessment of Reading (DAR)Provides individual diagnostic information in the areas
of reading and language: word recognition, word analysis, oral reading, silent
reading comprehension, spelling, and word meaning. Can be used by classroom
teacher to get a quick assessment of a child's reading. Appropriate use
requires training. This test is criterion referenced test, not as reliable as
norm referred test. Grades K - 3 version, another version for grades 4 - 8.
There are two measures of reading skill oral reading (decoding) and
comprehension. A reported instructional level is meaningless in DAR for both
decoding and comprehension. There is not one score. Hearing your child is
reading at "DAR of level 12" does not give you enough information about
student's reading performance.

Comprehension should be reported as an independent level
and the score in the assessment. Adequate comprehension (score 16-21) is
considered passing = independent. Publisher:Riverside Publishing
Company

Qualitative Reading Inventory
(QRI)Is an informal reading inventories. It provides
graded word lists and numerous passages designed to assess the oral
reading, silent reading, or listening comprehension of a student. It
contains narrative and expository passages at each pre-primer through
high school level. All are self-contained selections highly
representative of the structure and subject matter of materials found in
basal readers and content-area textbooks. Passages at the
pre-primer through second grade levels are presented with and without
pictures. Maps and illustrations are part of the high school selection.
Prior to reading, knowledge of concepts important to an understanding of the
passage is assessed, which allows the examiner to label a passage as
familiar or unfamiliar to each student. The QRI–3 measures comprehension in
several ways: through an analysis of the student's retelling, through the
answers to explicit and implicit comprehension questions, through the use
of look-backs that allow readers to search in the text for information to
answer questions not previously answered correctly, and through the use
of think-alouds to analyze students’ thoughts during reading. This
test allows the user to evaluate a reader's comprehension abilities in
light of his or her background knowledge about a subject and whether the text
was narrative or expository. The reader's answers to explicit and implicit
comprehension questions allow the examiner to assess the reader's
understanding of the text. The examiner can also assess the
reader's understanding of the structure of the text through a qualitative
analysis of his or her retelling. Look-backs and think-alouds can be
used to assess a reader's awareness and use of various metacognitive
strategies for comprehending text.

The Wilson
Assessment of Decoding and Encoding (WADE)A criterion-referenced assessment that can be used for
pre and post testing purposes, as well as a placement and pacing guide. The
WADE measures sound production of graphemes in isolation, fluent decoding
(sounding out words) and encoding (spelling) of phonetically regular words and
high frequency irregular words. Wilson states that the WADE must be used as well as a
formal reading test. Either the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test, Woodcock
Johnson III, or Woodcock Diagnostic Reading Battery is recommended. A similar,
individualized reading assessment may be substituted if it provides
information regarding decoding, comprehension and total reading.
Publisher:Pro-Ed

There two separate test, one for reading and
mathematics. The Stanford Diagnostic Reading (SDRT) and Mathematics Test
(SDMT). Both tests a student's reading and mathematics strengths and
weaknesses.Both
the Stanford Diagnostic tests are for Grades: 2 - 12, The test are colored
coded, Red=Grade 2, Orange=Grade 3, Green=Grade 4, Purple=Grade 5- 6,
Brown=Grade 7-8, Blue=Grade 9-12. There is only one form for the Red, Orange and
Green levels - Form J. There are two forms for the Purple, Brown and Blue levels
- Forms J and K.

Administration time: The test SDRT is 85 minute test may be given in one sitting
or each section may be given on different days or different times.

Each
section must be given in one sitting.

Score:

Above, at, or close to grade level: No more
than one year below grade level.

Below grade level: More than one year below
grade level, but no more than three years below grade level at grades 6-10 and
two years below grade level at grades 4 and 5.

Significantly below grade level: More than three years
below grade level at grades 6-10; more than two years below grade level at
grades 4 and 5.

The Total Reading score is not an average of the
three scores on the subtests--weighted, unweighted, or otherwise. It is based
on the total number of questions answered correctly on all portions of the
test and is derived by comparing how the student performed on the whole test
with how students from different grade levels at different times of the year
have typically performed on the same test.

Subtest:Reading Vocabulary
measures the range of words your child knows, based on
grade-level expectations;Reading Comprehension
measures how well your child understands and analyzes various types of
reading material; and Scanning Skills measures your child’s ability to
skim through reading material to find information.

-
Go
to top of page (index) -Reading Levels Chart- This table that cross reference the various
common reading levels used in different reading programs. It includes a 8 column
table: Grade level (Basal level), Fountas/Pinnell (FP), DRA Levels, EIL Levels,
PM Levels, Rigby Levels, and Sails. Created by Harcourt Achieve’s Educational
Support Services Department (Aug. 2005).

Test Purpose: Designed to identify specific mathematical
concepts in which a student is lacking.

Population: Grades 1.5 to 6.5.

Scoring: Covering the mathematical content of grades 1
through 8, the test is divided into four levels, (two grades per level).Has both norm-referenced and content-referenced
interpretations. The three subtests produce raw scores that can be
converted into percentile ranks, stanines, grade equivalents, and scaled scores
for each of the three subtests and for the total score.

Subtest: Three areas: Number System and Numeration,
Computation, and Applications. It may be administered to single individuals or
to groups, and permits both norm-referenced and content-referenced
interpretations.

Time:
(95-110) minutes, it may be administered to single individuals or to groups.

Description:
The Stanford
Diagnostic Mathematics Test (SDMT) was designed to identify those specific
mathematical concepts and skills on which a student is making less than
satisfactory progress.

Test of Early Written Language (TEWL) - There are two forms
of this test (form A and B, so the test can be repeated with it being
contaminated by memory.) For
students ages: 4 to 10
years, 11 months. Completion Time 30 to 50 minutes. TEWL-3,
Publication date: 2012.

Has 3 Subtests and a Composite: Basic
Writing. This subtest consists of 70 items. All items are presented
according to increasing difficulty. This subtest measures a child’s
understanding about language and his/her ability to use the writing tools of
language. Included in this understanding is metalinguistic knowledge,
directionality, organizational structure, awareness of letter features,
spelling, capitalization, punctuation, proofing, sentence combining, and
logical sentences. The Basic Writing subtest can be administered independently
or in conjunction with the Contextual Writing subtest. Age-based norms are
provided for children from ages 4-0 through 11-11. Grade-based norms are
provided for Grades 2 through 6.

Contextual
Writing. This subtest consists of 20 items that are scored 0 to 3. Two sets of
pictures are provided, one for younger children (ages 5-0 through 6-11) and
one for older children (ages 7-0 through 11-11). This subtest measures a
child’s ability to construct a story when provided with a picture prompt. The
subtest measures story format, cohesion, thematic maturity, ideation, and
story structure. A detailed, expanded scoring guide is provided to assist in
scoring the Contextual Writing subtest. This subtest can also be administered
independently or in conjunction with the Basic Writing subtest. Age-based
norms are provided for children ages 5-0 through 11-11. Grade-based norms are
provided for Grades 2 through 6.

Overall
Writing. The Overall Writing index combines the index scores from the Basic
Writing and Contextual Writing subtests. It is a measure of the child’s
overall writing ability; students who score high on this quotient demonstrate
strengths in composition, syntax, mechanics, fluency, cohesion, and the text
structure of written language. This score can only be computed if the child
completes both subtests and is at least 5 years of age.
Publisher: Pearson
Assessments

Writing Process Test (WPT) - This norm-referenced test is
a direct measure of writing that requires the student to plan, write, and
revise an original composition. The WPT assesses both written product and
writing process. The student’s analysis is elicited via a checklist of quick,
easy questions about the composition. There are two scales, Development and
Fluency.The six Development Scales assess Purpose and Focus,
Audience, Vocabulary, Style and Tone, Support and Development, and
Organization and Coherence.The six Fluency Scales
assess Sentence Structure and Variety, Grammar and Usage, Capitalization and
Punctuation, and Spelling.The examiner can also gain insight into the student’s
awareness of having used metacognitive strategies when planning and recursive
behaviors when composing and revising. The test can be administered individually or in
groups for age 8 to 19 years of age (or in grades 2 to 12), and administration
usually takes 45 minutes. Publisher: Pro-EdTest
of Written Language (TOWL) - There are two forms of this test (form A and B,
so the test can be repeated with it being contaminated by memory.)
Examiners can evaluate student growth in writing using pretesting and post
testing that is not contaminated by memory. Composite quotients are available
for overall writing, contrived writing, and spontaneous writing. Eight
subtest: Contextual conventions, Contextual language, Story construction,
Vocabulary, Spelling, Style, Logical sentences, and Sentence
combining. Details on three of the subtests: Contextual
Conventions-measures capitalization, punctuation, and spelling; Contextual
Language-measures vocabulary, syntax, and grammar; and Story
Construction-measures plot, character development, and general
composition. For students in grade 2 to 12. Publisher:
Pearson
Assessments

Test of Written Expression
(TOWE) - Uses two assessment methods to evaluate a student's
writing skills. The first method involves administering a series of 76 items
that tap different skills associated with writing. The second method requires
students to read or hear a prepared story starter and use it as a stimulus for
writing an essay (i.e., the beginning of the story is provided, and the writer
continues the story to its conclusion). For students between 6 years, 6 months
to 14 years, 11 months. Publisher: Pearson
Assessments

Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (KTEA) - Accesses
the student's ability to spell 50 isolated real words that are organized on
order of difficulty. This test provides standard scores,
percentiles and grade equivalents.

Test of Written Spelling Fourth
Edition (TWS-4) - Is a norm-referenced test of spelling administered using a
dictated word format. The TWS-4 now has two alternate or equivalent forms (A
and B) which make it more useful in test-teach-test situations. The TWS-4 is
appropriate for students in Grades 1 through 12 as well as for those in
remedial programs. The TWS was developed after a review of 2,000 spelling
rules. The words to be spelled are drawn from 10 basal spelling programs and
popular graded word lists. The results of the TWS-4 may be used
for four specific purposes: to identify students whose scores are
significantly below those of their peers and who might need interventions
designed to improve spelling proficiency, to determine areas of relative
strength and weakness in spelling, to document overall progress in spelling as
a consequence of intervention programs, and to serve as a measure for research
efforts designed to investigate spelling. Can be administered in 20
minutes to either groups or individuals and yields the following educationally
relevant information: standard scores, percentiles, spelling ages, and grade
equivalents.

Test of Mathematical Abilities
(TOMA) - The TOMA-2 was developed for use in grades 3 through 12. It
measures math performance on the two traditional major skill areas in math
(i.e., story problems and computation) as well as attitude, vocabulary,
and general application of mathematics concepts in real life. The TOMA-2
has five subtests, four in the core battery (Vocabulary, Computation, General
Information, and Story Problems) and one supplemental subtest (Attitude Toward
Math). Publisher:
AGS Publishing.

CELF-3 -
Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, thrid edition This is a comprehensive diagnostic tool to measure the
(oral) language skills of learning-disabled students in the areas of
semantics, syntax, and memory.

The whole battery need not be administered to obtain a
norm referenced language score. Three subtests can be administered to
obtain an Expressive Language score, and 3 subtests can be administered to
obtain an receptive language score.

CELF–4 has 19 subtests, some are new subtests, others are
revised subtests from CELF–3, and still others are CELF–3subtests that have been maintained without changes. A
description of each of the new CELF–4 subtests follows.

Expressive Vocabulary, for ages 5–9 years, enables you to
evaluate the student’s ability to name illustrations ofpeople, objects, and actions (referential naming). This
ability relates to preschool, and elementary grade curriculumobjectives for labeling and remembering names for people
and objects (nouns) and actions (verbs) and using them inacademic contexts in response to pictures, graphs,
diagrams, and other illustrations, and in spontaneous language toexpress concise meaning.

Word Definitions, for ages 10–21 years, you can evaluate
the student’s ability to analyze words for their meaning features, and define
words by referring to class relationships and shared meanings, and describe
meanings that are unique to the reference or instance. This ability relates to
upper elementary and secondary grade curriculum objectives for knowing and
using words as concepts with broad, generic applications, rather than with
narrow, concrete and contextually bound meanings.

The Expressive Vocabulary and Word Definitions subtests
enable you to probe the student’s vocabulary skills.

Phonological Awareness subtest
helps evaluate the student’s knowledge of the sound structure of the
language and the ability to manipulate sound through:

The Pragmatics Profile broadens the scope of
assessment by encouraging teachers and/or caregivers to participate in
the evaluation process. Pragmatics Profile was added to CELF–4 to
help evaluate a child’s language use.

Observational Rating Scale (ORS) is now included
with CELF–4 as a performance-based assessment. It offers 40 statements
that describe problems a student may have in listening, speaking,
reading, and writing. Parents and teachers rate the student using a
4-point frequency of occurrence scale. The student can evaluate his or
her own skills in this area, too. The Observational Rating Scale
provides information about the student’s language in classroomand home contexts.

Working Memory can now be assessed using
Familiar Sequences and Number Repetition. The Working Memory index
score and Number Repetition and Familiar Sequences subtests are included
to help you explore the possible effect memory skills may have on a
student’s language disorder. Consider a student’s Working Memory index
score as preliminary screening information to be used in making decisions
about the need for referrals to other professionals who can fully evaluate the
student’s memory abilities. Number Repetition and Familiar Sequences subtests
broaden the scope of CELF–4 and provide information about working memory
ability.

The CELF–4 subtests provide a measure of
specific aspects of language form, content, use, and working memory
depending on the subtest task and the student’s response.

Several subtests are used to make up each composite
score. In addition to the Core Language score, CELF–4 provides
the following scores to help you assess your students:

2. Listening
Comprehension: Making Inferences - assesses a student's ability to listen
and understand description of situations presented orally in order to
generate two plausible inferences. (This is different from TOPS
subtest, also called making inferences where the student needs to give a
logical explanation about a situation combing what they know or able
to use their own previous experiences and background information.)

Purpose:Written Expression - measures the use of conventions
(handwriting, spelling, punctuation), the use of syntactical forms (modifiers,
phrases, sentence structures), and the ability to communicate meaningfully
(relevance, cohesiveness, organization). The examiner presents oral, written,
and pictorial prompts, and examinees write their responses in a
booklet.Oral Expression - requires no reading on the student's
part. The examiner reads a stimulus word printed on one side of the
convenient easel, and the examinees responds by indicating one of four pictures
on the other side.Listening Comprehension - requires the examinee to answer
questions, complete sentences, or generate sentences in response to oral or
verbal stimuli.

Purpose: Assess ability to organize
thoughts and express ideas clearly. To measure a students use language to think and problem
solve. Students are asked questions about a series of photographs.

Subtests:1. Making Inferences -
Requires the student to give a logical explanation about a situation combing
what he knows or can see to previous experiences and background information.2. Sequencing - Requires the student to determine and
explain logical, everyday sequences of events, such as what one needs to know or
do before taking action in a situation or what one should do first in a given
situation.3. Negative Question - Requires the student
to explain why something would not occur or why one should not take a particular
action in a specific situation.4. Problem Solving -
Requires the student to recognize the problem, think of an alternative solution,
evaluate the options and state an appropriate solution to a given
situation. It also requires him to sate ways to avoid specific
problems.5. Predicting - Requires the student to
demonstrate understanding of a presented situation and make a reasonable
prediction about what will happen of what would happen if a certain action were
taken in the situation.6. Determine Causes - Requires
the student to give a logical reason for some aspect of the situation
presented.

The test covers all the major speech sounds in the English
language, including initial and final consonants and blends, vowels, and
diphthongs.Ages: 1 - 18 years.Purpose: A clinical measure of articulatory competence in
children and adolescents.Qualifications to Administer: Completion of graduate
training as a speech language pathologist.The
test still uses a simple picture-presentation format that offers complete
administration to most children in less than 3 minutes. Scoring involves the
easy-to-understand "Total Score" that expresses the child's successful speech
production on a scale from 1 to 100.

Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation (GFTA-2) is a
systematic means of assessing an individual’s articulation of the consonant
sounds of Standard American English. It provides a wide range of information by
sampling both spontaneous and imitative sound production, including single words
and conversational speech.2 years through 21 years,
administration time: 5 to 15 minutes (depending on age)3 Subtests: Sounds-in-Words (normed test),
Sounds-in-Sentences, and StimulabilityProvides
information about a child's articulation ability by sampling both spontaneous
and imitative sounds.Measures articulation of consonant
sounds and determines types of misarticulation. The Sounds-in-Words section is
norm-referenced. The Sounds-in-Sentences and Stimulability sections are not
norm-referenced.

Purpose:
The student's ability
to effectively use pragmatic language. Pragmatic language is language that is
used socially to achieve goals, involving not only what is said but also why and
for what purpose something is said. The assessment is derived from
the operational framework of the Model of Pragmatic Language.
The TOPL tests the student's knowledge of what pragmatic
language is not their level of the skill.

Ages: kindergarten, age 5 to age 13, criterion-referenced assessment for junior high
school (age 17-18)

Test Measure: 6 core
subcomponents of pragmatic language:Subtests:

Physical setting - Refers to the setting and
event. The setting is the place where the conversation takes place
and the event is the context for the a communication exchange.

Audience
- Refer to the relationship that is developed within a
conversation.

Topic -
Is related to the cohesive and logical sequence of ideas and sentences
which relate to the topic. It also refers to topic maintenance
and content.

Purpose (speech acts) of a communication exchange is
the objective of the conversation and the plan to achieve that
objective. These objectives include requesting, informing, regulating,
expressing, ritualizing and organizing.

Visual ­gestural cue - section relates to
nonverbal language.

Abstraction - refer to figurative or metophors in
which the message is carried.

Miller Assessment for Preschoolers(MAP) - For the
identification of preschool children with mild to moderate developmental delays
across a broad range of content domains, including behavioral, motor, and
cognitive. MAP
is a short and comprehensive screening instrument for ages 2 years, 9 months
- 5 years, 8 months. It requires 20 to 30 minutes administration time and
provides data on co-ordination, verbal, nonverbal, and complex
tasks.

Peabody Developmental Motor Scales
(PDMS) - early childhood motor development program that provides
both in-depth assessment and training or remediation of gross and fine motor
skills. The assessment is composed of six subtests that measure the
interrelated motor abilities that develop early in life from birth through 5
years of age. Reliability and validity have been determined empirically.
PDMS-2 has 6 Subtests:

Stationary - 30 items measure a child's ability to
sustain control of his or her body within its center of gravity and
retain equilibrium.

Locomotion - 89 items measure a child's ability to
move from one place to another by crawling, walking, running, hopping,
and jumping forward.

Object Manipulation - 24 items measure a child's ability
to manipulate balls by catching, throwing, and kicking. Because these skills
are not apparent until a child has reached the age of 11 months, this subtest
is only given to children ages 12 months and older.

Grasping - 26 items measure a child's ability to use
his or her hands. It begins with the ability to hold an object with one
hand and progresses to actions involving the controlled use of the
fingers of both hands.

Visual-Motor Integration - 72 items measure a
child's ability to use his or her visual-perceptual skills to perform
complex eye-hand coordination tasks such as reaching and grasping for an
object, building with blocks, and copying
designs.

There are six subtests that
measure different but interrelated visual-perceptual and visual-motor
abilities.

Subtests:1. Copying: Individuals
are shown a simple figure and asked to draw it on a piece of paper. The figure
serves as a model for the drawing.2. Figure-Ground:
Individuals are shown stimulus figures and asked to find as many of the figures
as they can on a page where the figures are hidden in a complex, confusing
background.3. Visual-Motor Search: The individual is
shown a page covered in numbered circles, randomly arranged on the page. The
individual connects the circles with a line, in numerical sequence, as quickly
as possible.4. Visual Closure: Individuals are shown a
stimulus figure and asked to select the exact figure from a series of figures
that have been incompletely drawn.5. Visual-Motor
Speed: Individuals are shown (a) four different geometric designs, two of which
have special marks in them, and (b) a page filled completely with the four
designs, none of which have marks in them.6. Form
Constancy: Individuals are shown a stimulus figure and asked to find it in a
series of figures. In the series, the targeted figure will have a different
size, position, and/or shade, and it may be hidden in a distracting
background.

Composite Scores or Indexes -
The most reliable scores for the DTVP-A are the indexes. These scores are found
by adding the standard scores of the subtests that comprise a composite and
converting the sum to an index.

1. General Visual-Perceptual
Index: The GVPI is the best measure of what the majority of people mean when
they say "visual perception." Data from six subtests, each of which measures a
different type of visual perception in a different manner, contribute to the
GVPI. When GVPIs are below 90, examiners need to pay more attention to the
clinically important indexes- the Motor-Reduced Visual Perceptual Index (MRPI)
and the Visual-Motor Integration Index (VMII). Examination of these indexes may
help explain the causes for low GVPIs.2. Motor-Reduced Visual Perception Index: Of all of
the DTVP-A indexes, the MRPI is the "purest" and most direct measure of visual
perception in that only minimal motor skills (e.g., pointing) are required to
show perceptual competence. This index is formed by combining the standard
scores from the Figure-Ground, Visual Closure, and Form Constancy Subtests.3. Visual-Motor Integration Index: To do well on this
composite, individuals must perform complex eye-hand coordination tasks. Low
scores do not necessarily indicate poor visual perception; they may mean that
the individuals have awkward hand movements or that they have difficulty
coordinating hand-to-eye movements. This index is formed by combining the
standard scores of the Copying, Visual-Motor Search, and Visual-Motor Speed
Subtests.Publisher: Pro-Ed,
2002

Test of Visual Motor Skills (TVMS) - This test
assesses visual motor integration skills. Helps assess the extent to which
individuals can integrate their visual and motor abilities. Two forms the
short and long. Short form is for ages 2 - 8 years old and full form: Ages
2-18 years old. Each test takes as little as 5 mins (Motor Coordination)
and as much as 15 mins. (Visual Perceptual).

PreSchool Visual Motor Integration Assessment (PVMIA)
- This test specifically devoted to the perceptual abilities
of the preschooler. The PVMIA was developed to identify visual motor integration
deficits of children 3-1/2 to 5-1/2 years old.Specific skills addressed: perception of position in space,
awareness of spatial relationships, color and shape discrimination, matching two
attributes simultaneously, and the ability to reproduce what is seen and what is
interpreted.Consists of 2 subtests: a Drawing subtest (8 items), which
examines the ability to recognize and reproduce lines and shapes on paper, and a
Block Patterns subtest (25 items), which examines the abilities to recognize
color and shape using three-dimensional blocks and to recognize and reproduce
patterns created by assembling the same blocks. The drawings used in the Drawing
subtest are novel to children and developmental in nature. The Block Pattern
Subtest uses parquetry blocks that fit small hands rather than the one inch
cubes typically used in other tests. The test items are presented in order of
increasing difficulty. In addition, there are two Behavioral Observation
Checklists which assist in the interpretation of the test results. Raw scores
are converted to Standard Scores and Percentile Ranges for each of the Subtests
and for the Total Test. It can be administered in approximately 20 minutes
and scored in approximately 25-30 minutes.

- Go to top of page
(index) -Beery-Buktenica Development Test of Visual Motor
Integration (Beery VMI) - Helps assess the extent to which individuals can
integrate their visual and motor abilities. The Short Format and Full Format
tests present drawings of geometric forms arranged in order of increasing
difficulty that the individual is asked to copy. The Short Format is often used
with children ages 2-8 years. Full Form with children 2-18 years
old. Publisher:
Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.(PAR) Bruininks-Oseretsky
Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2) - This test assesses gross motor and fine
motor skills.Assesses the motor proficiency of able-bodied students, as
well as students with serious motor dysfunctions and developmental handicaps.
The test can also be useful in developing and evaluating motor training
programs. For ages 4 years - 21 years. Takes 45-60 minutes, Short Form: 15-20 minutes.
The test does provide
scores reported by age based standard Scores, percentile ranks, and
stanines.

- Go
to top of page (index)
-Test of Handwriting Skills-Revised (THS-R) -
This is an un-timed
standardized assessment of handwriting skills, both manuscript and cursive. It
can be used with any of the popular handwriting programs. It is newly revised,
January, 2007. The changes to the new edition include: norms are extended
through age 18 (manuscript and cursive), nationally stratified norms, a
simplified scoring procedure, handwriting exemplars that reflect current styles
including D'Nealian, Handwriting Without Tears, Universal and
Zaner-Bloser. For children ages 5 - age 18, 11 months.

WOLD Sentence Copying Test - This test evaluates the handwriting of students
in grades 2 through 8 when copying in print or manuscript.The test involves
copying a sentence with 110 letters on the test paper while being timed. This assess a mixed
of motor visual perceptual skills along with cognitive skills.
The student may print or use
cursive. Timing begins as so as they starts to write.This is an example of the the sentence that is presented on
the paper:

Four men and a
jolly boy came out of

the black and
pink house quickly to see

the bright
violet sun, but the sun was

hidden behind a
cloud

The student is to write the
sentence carefully, but as fast as they can as it is a timed test. Maximum
time allowed is 3 minutes.

Sensory Profile - Is comprised of a parent/caregiver and
teacher questionnaire that is used to identify typical performance, probable
difference or definite difference in a child's behavioral responses to sensory
information in their environment. For Ages 3 to 10 years process sensory
information in everyday situations. You can also profile the sensory system's
effect on functional performance. Nine factor
groupings characterize children by their responsiveness to sensory input
including, Sensory seeking, Emotional reactive, Low endurance/tone, Oral sensory
sensitivity, Inattention/distractibility, Poor registration, Sensory
sensitivity, Sedentary, and Fine motor/perceptual.Publisher: Harcourt or
www.sensoryprofile.com

Sensory Integration
and Praxis Test (SIPT): measures aspects of sensory processing and praxis, the
ability to form an idea, plan the action and execute it. This
test evaluates specifically delineate processing challenges which may be
contributing to difficulties in learning or behavior. The SIPT measures visual,
tactile, and kinesthetic perception as well as motor performance. A
child's performance on each of these tests is compared with the average
performance of other children in his or her age group. In addition to these
tests, clinical observations are made of muscle tone, postural responses,
coordination and hand skill development.It is composed of 17
brief tests and provides standardized scores. Must be given by OT who is
SIPT certified. The cost runs between
$800-1500.

Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2) -
This test assesses gross motor and fine motor skills.Assesses the motor proficiency of able-bodied students, as
well as students with serious motor dysfunctions and developmental handicaps.
The test can also be useful in developing and evaluating motor training
programs. For ages 4 years - 21 years. Takes 45-60 minutes, Short Form: 15-20 minutes.
The test does provide
scores reported by age based standard Scores, percentile ranks, and stanines.
(also used by OT Evaluations).

The Test of
Gross Motor Development – 2 (TGMD-2) is a standardized test that measures gross
motor abilities that develop early in life, ages 3 through age 10
years. The test is usedto:

a) identify
children who are significantly behind their peers in grossmotor skill
development,

b)plan an
instructional program in gross motor skill development,

c)assess individual
progress in gross motor skill development,

d)evaluate the
success of the gross motor program, and

e)serve as a
measurement instrument in research involving gross motor
development.

The test takes
15-20 minutes to administer. Set up and clean-up may take an adthirdnal 10
minutes. There is some measuring of distances. Usually only one
session is required to get through the test, but to provide favorable
circumstances so that the evaluation is optimal, several sessions may be
needed forcertain children.

Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) - A nationally
standardized series of questionnaires that obtain information on the social
behaviors of children and adolescents from teachers, parents, and the students
themselves. Assess children who have problems with behavior and
interpersonal skills. Detect the problems behind shyness, trouble initiating conversation, and difficulty making
friends. Select behaviors for treatment and assist in planning
intervention.Ages: 3-18; A Student Self Report can be used in Grades
3-12. Administration Time: 10-25 minutes for each
questionnaire.Scores: Social Skills, Problem Behaviors, and Academic Competence scales—Standard scores and percentile ranks;
Scales and subscales—Behavior Levels (fewer, average, and more); Items—Frequency
and Importance ratings point to behaviors that may require intervention.
Publisher: Parson

Walker-McConnell Scale - WMS (K-6 / 7-12) - Has two
versions:ELEMENTARY VERSION is
appropriate for use with students in grades K-6. It consists of three,
analytically derived, sub-scales (Teacher-Preferred Social Behavior,
Peer-Preferred Social Behavior, and School Adjustment) totaling 43 items across
the three sub-scales. The Scale relies on teacher ratings of the frequency with
which social skills are estimated to occur for each student rated. The 43 items
of the Elementary Scale typically require no more than 10 minutes to complete
for each student.

ADOLESCENT VERSION is appropriate for use with students in
grades 7-12. It contains four, analytically derived, sub-scales (Self Control,
Peer Relations, School Adjustment, and Empathy) totaling 53 items across the
four sub-scales. The Scale relies on teacher ratings of the frequency with which
social skills are estimated to occur for each student rated. The 53 items of the
Adolescent Scale typically require no more than 10 minutes to complete for each
student.

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS) - Used from birth
to adulthood in their personal and social functioning. Following Edgar Doll's
original conceptualization of adaptive behavior as multidimensional in structure
and his measurement of the behaviors by areas, the VABS is organized around four
Behavior Domains: Communication, Daily Living Skills, Socialization, and Motor
Skills. The assessment has 13 scores.

Scales of Independent Behavior (SIB) - comprehensive,
norm-referenced assessment of adaptive and maladaptive behavior. It may be
administered in a structured interview or by a checklist procedure. There
are 33 items give users a broader measure of the adaptive behavior skills
required in everyday living. Simplified scoring: Age-equivalent scoring tables
are included in the response booklets for each subscale, allowing examiners to
get immediate developmental information.

Delis-Kaplan Executive Function
System™ (D–KEFS) - This is the Executive function test is used by
Neuropsychologist or psychologist to evaluate executive function skills.
This test can be given to anyone ages 8 to 89 Years old.
These tests assess key components of executive functions within verbal and
spatial modalities. Comprehensively assess with 9 tests, the key components of
executive functions believed to be mediated primarily by the frontal lobe. The
Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System'" (D-KEFS) is the first nationally
standardized set of tests to evaluate higher-level cognitive functions in both
children and adults. The tests assess vital executive functions such as
flexibility of thinking, inhibition, problem solving, planning, impulse control,
concept formation, abstract thinking, and creativity in both verbal and spatial
modalities. D-KEFS' nine stand-alone tests evaluate the following
executive-function domains.

Problem-solving, verbal and spatial concept
formation, flexibility of thinking on a conceptual task.Assesses the
individual's ability to initiation, creativity in forming
responses, cognitive flexibility, and transfer of conceptual
knowledge into behavior that is goal directed (formerly called the
California Sorting Test).

Trail Making Tests (TMT)

Flexibility of thinking on a visual-motor
task. These subtests indicates an ability to execute and
modify a plan of action. They asses a higher level processes.
The five subtests are: Visual Scanning, Visual Sequencing, Number
Sequencing, Letter Sequencing, Number-Letter Switching and Motor
speed.

Verbal Fluency Tests (VFT)

Fluent productivity in the verbal domain. Assess the
individual's ability to produce verbal responses in accordance with a
set of rules within one minute. The three subtests are: Letter
Fluency, Category Fluency, and Category-Switching.

Design Fluency Tests
(DFT)

Fluent productivity in the spatial domain.
Requires the production of as many different designs using a series of
dots and rules as a guide within a time period. The
skills required for these tasks include: Initiation of problem
solving behaviors, fluency in generating visual designs, creativity and
simultaneous processing by drawing and observing the rules at the same
time. The three subtests are: Condition 1: Filled Dots, Condition
2: Empty Dots, Condition 3: Switching.

Logical thinking, hypothesis testing and
deduction. An adaptation of a popular game played by children and
adults, this test assesses the ability to identify the various categories
and subcategories represented. Presented with a stimulus page depicting
pictures of 30 common objects, and tries to ask the fewest number of
yes/no questions in order to identify the unknown target
object.

Type of
Scores

These tests consists of a number of mandatory and
optional subtests. The results obtained by the child on these
different subtests are combined into composite or cluster
scores. If we rely on composite, cluster scores, or averaging
these scores, without examining the child's scores on the individual
subtests, we can easily overlook obvious deficiencies and significant
strengths. Relying on composite, cluster scores, or averaging can
lead to faulty educational decision-making, having tragic consequences for
children. To advocate effectively, parents must obtain all of the
subtest scores (SS) on the tests that have been administered to your child.

Standard Score (SS) Compares the student's
performance with that of other children at the same age or grade
level. For reference, Standard Score of 85-115 fall within normal
range. Standard score of 84 or lower fall below the normal range
and scores of 116 or higher fall above normal range.

Stanine Score like the Standard score,
reflects the student's performance compared with that of students in the
age range on which the given test was normed. For reference, a stanine
of 7 is above average, a stanine of 5 is average and a stanine of 3 is
below average (see the 'detailed
bell curve' at bottom page).

The Percentile (PR or %) Score indicates the
student's performance on given test relative to the other children the
same age on who the test was normed. A score of 50% or higher is
above normal range. Percentiles are not the same as percent
correct! Percentile is an age-based or grade-based score indicating
the percent of the norm group of students tested who scored less than the
student. A 85th percentile means that 85 percent of students
tested scored lower than the subject, not that the student received 85%
of the questions correct. Percentile scores are correlated to
saboutrd score or IQ scores: 75th percentile is the same as standard
score or IQ score of 110 (see the 'detailed bell curve' at bottom page).
For tests that use a large populations (nationally normed),
percentiles are statically a better way to compare one child to his age or
grade peers.

It
is not recommend to use of grade & age equivalents scores - they are
ordinal measures, terribly inaccurate, they promote inaccurate
typological thinking and they're grossly inaccurate for measuring growth.
Parents like them, but they can lead to erroneous conceptions.
School curriculum varies and it makes it difficult to determine
appropriate grade level.

The Grade Equivalent (GE) score reflects the
approximate grade level at which the student is performing in a given
skill. The whole number represents the grade, and the
decimal number represents the month within that grade. For example,
4-5 or 4.5 means fourth grade, fifth month. So a student scoring 4.5
scored about the same as the typical score of a fourth graders tested
with the same test in January or early February (-5
or.5). AGE of 2.5
indicates that the student's raw score for the test was as the average
(median) raw score for the group of students in the fifth month of second
grade on whom the test was normed.

The Age Equivalent (AE) score reflects the
approximate age at which the student is performing in a given
skill. The whole number represents the age, and the decimal
number represents the additional months. For example, 6-5 or 6.5 means
age six, and five months. So a student scoring 6.5 scored about the same
as information score of a six year old tested with the same test
in January or early February (-5 or.5). A 'AE' of 9.5 indicates that the student's raw score for
the test was as the average (median) raw score for the group of students
age nine and five months on whom the test was
normed.

Educational Testing is the the major area of testing it
will serve as a baseline against which future progress can be measured.
There are two types of educational testing Achievement testing and Diagnostic
testing.

For information about the proper tests to
use with: Dyslexic and Learning Disabled students; students with
Dysgraphia, please click here
to visit our Which Test
webpage. for list of
recommended tests.

Resources used for this page came from the
following sources:

The Test company catalogs and websites,
Landmark School and other resources stated on this page.

The book, "The Special Educator's Comprehensive
Guide to 301 Diagnostic Tests" by Roger Ph.D.
Pierangelo, George Psy.D. Giuliani (2006)",
check out our Recommend Book page.